Laguna gets $63,000 from Edison in fire claim

Firefighters put out the remains of a fire on a hillside in Laguna Beach on Sept. 16. EUGENE GARCIA, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

Southern California Edison is picking up the tab for a September brush fire in South Laguna but isn't taking the blame, according to the city.

The city of Laguna Beach filed a claim shortly after the Sept. 16 fire on a hillside near Ruby's Diner in the 30000 block of South Coast Highway. The flames burned nearly 5 acres.

On April 23, the city accepted a check for $63,403 from the utility to cover the full cost of additional firefighting operations during the blaze, including hand crews, helicopter use, police assistance, overtime, meals and erosion-control measures, said Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse.

Evidence indicated a malfunction at the top of a wooden utility pole, causing the power lines to fall to the ground, Hill said in a report.

A witness in Hill's report said she saw the pole "fail" and two wires fall as she was stopped at South Coast Highway and Montage Way. When the traffic light turned green, she noticed smoke on the hillside.

Another witness, Dempsey Sadler, said she was on her balcony at home when she saw smoke coming from the top of the power pole, the report said. A moment later, she saw the top half of the pole break and fall. She heard a zapping noise and a "thump," followed by smoke.

The Laguna Terrace Mobile Home Park is pursuing a separate claim with Edison.

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